Global Leadership Blog

He and his team said they felt good about it and that it was a success. Other sources said he made enemies out of US allies and built relationships with those who might not be in our best interest – politically.

One thing business leaders could do differently from President Trump to have successful international meetings is conduct pre-meetings.

Every C-level executive knows that the discussions leading up to the formal meeting are critical to ensure those meetings go well. You don’t just walk in and surprise everyone with what you’re going to talk about.

If Trump had met with European leaders ahead of time, one-on-one, discussed his position, they might have understood, agreed to disagree, and talked about a new way forward.

The idea of revamping policies and agreements to reflect a more current need – even a self-serving one – doesn’t have to ruffle feathers or be a dramatic surprise. If agreeing to disagree is the worst that comes out of it, you still have your allies and your credibility.

Going in and blind-siding your allies is a good way disrespect your allies, have zero chance of buy-in, and potentially push those on your side already away.